Method and apparatus for warping a beam



Dec. 11, 1951 T. ROVAS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WARPING A BEAM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1948 Fla. 2

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WARPING A BEAM Dec. 11, 1951 Filed y 1, 1948 Dec. 11, 1951 T, ROVAS 2,578,017

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WARPING A BEAM Filed May 1, 1948 3 Sheefs-Sheec. 3

INVENTOR. 705 M 5 R0 VA 5 Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED J-P ATLEQNT OFFICE METHQD AND APPARATUS .EOR LWAIKEIN'G ,A BEAM "Tobias Rovas, Cleveland, Ohio, sass'ignorsofiforty per-nen't to oliioKnitting'MiHs,:Ine.;-Clevland,

0hio,.c-acorporation of Ohio Application iMayQl, 1948, SerialNo;f24;643

' 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to "a method and apparatus for windingyarn'onthreads'onia-warp beam used in'knitting-machines.

In knitting certain articles, such "as sweaters,

it is desirable to *weavethefabric in'web form in such manner thatbnelongitudinm half has the pattern reversed with respect to the other half, so that when-the finished web "is fd1ded1ongitu- "dina'lly the patterns will doe superimposed upon each other. Thiswill enabletwo'identic'al panels "to becut simultaneously. 'Heretofore, :the strands have been wound through :a guidebar from the "bobbin, but when one section has been-wound,

the guidebar has been rethreaded whenever a 'of the'beam. Such difficulty has been vaugmented by the'use of sheets of pap'erwh'reh'havebeen interposed in the'materia'l'for the purpose "of supporting the ends of the adjacent sections. Such sheets have been'interpose'd at intervals of about one inch in depth, of yarnonthe beam and have overhung the ends'of these'ctions. The introduction of the paperjhowever, has made it difficult to determine accurately the precise .ll'ength "of threads or strands that are wound onto the beam. "To overcome the foregoing objections, the practice 'has been to wind strands in a predetermined "pattern upon "a pilot beam;which"is usuallyfa'bout three feet in diameter,'andthentorewind'from the-pilot beam onto the individual -warp beams. Each Warp beam, when wound, is approximately "fifteen inches 'indiameter, and inasmuch as'th'ere are usually 'five or six beams used on a knitting machine, it is apparent that beams having a size "of the pilot ibeam could 'not "be usedwithin the "space-limitations of a'knittin g machine.

"beam is that: the; rewindin'g operation'from the pilot" tothe warp 'beam requiresas much as, fifty ,s'heetsof paper to be interposed "betweenflayers, particularly where aboutfom" sections-are wound onto the beam, and such practice has'necessitated not*or"1ly theexpenditure of considerable time during "winding, but has intrddubed a problemfiof removing the paper from thezbeams and disposing of it during the-unwindingi peration.

An object of the present invention :is to Fpfovide a' m'ethdd 1 and apparatus-b means of which the "str'ands may =be wouna directly from the individual bobbins ont'o a'b'eam,-without necessitating the :use of interposed sheets of paper and withoutwasting 'spac'ebmthe-beam betweenadjacentsections. I

A further Object of *the in'vention is to utilize a method and apparatus by means of "which strands of different color maybe wound "onto the "beam directly from the bobbins in one prearranged sequence, until the desired length has been wound thereon, i i116. thereupon "the same "sequence 'may "be wound in --'another section, but

with the-'order-fif th'e strands reversed, with-respect to their position on the first section. The invention contemplates an arrangementbymeans of which the reversal may be accomplished-without rethreadingthe threads through "a guidebar or none ash'as heretofore b'een the practice.

advantage of the present invention "is that approximately twiceas much "yarn ban be wound onto a beam, thus enabling a knitting machine "to obtain twicetheproduction for one threading of the'machin'e; thatthe necessity'for interposing sheets of 'pap'erbetween layers of yarn'on the beam' has been eliminated and that considerable wastage has been saved, because 1 on every threading operation there has been a wastage of one or more "feet tin-each strand. This 'item is an appreciable factor because, fgenerally, there are "about-one th'ousand threads wound on eachheam.

"Referring to *the =draw-in'gsjEig. l is aside eleration of the device embodying'myinvention and illustrating*the winding, of a "-beam; Fig. a perspective view illustrating the winding of a--sec 'tion "on a beam on which two sections have previously been wound; Fig. 3 is-aperspective view illustrating the manner of 'manipulating the gguidbarato effect a r'eversa1-o'f threadfposition;

Fig. 3-4 isaperspective view-showing the position 1T0! the threads reversed with respect to that illustrated'inliig. 2 Fig; '5 aside elevation of a-p'or- "ti'on -of--tne apertured bar ;=used *in connect-ion withthefinvention; Fig/=6 isa side elevation through a portion of the supporting structure for the guidebars. and showing a portion of it in section; Fig. 7 is a side view of a spacing device that is used in connection with the o eration of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a section taken on a plane indicated by the line 83 in Fig. '7; Fig. 9 is an exploded side elevation illustrating the sep arability of the parts of the collar illustrated in Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in whi h the collar may be assembled onto the beam; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section on a'scale'larger thanthat used in Fig. '7 and shows t e locking device by means of which th collar sections can be held in assembled relationship. In Fig. 1 I have shown my invention in connection with a stand l0 having bobbins mounted thereon with strands of yarn or thread [2 extending from the respective bobbins to a gathering device, from which they are wound on the beam l5. The beam is journalled in upright members l6 of a frame I! and is adapted tobe.

. readily controlled.

4 2| has a series of spaced apertures 31 which may be of different size and arranged in spaced rows, as is shown for example in Fig. 5.

The roll 22 is journalled in the carriag and has an abrasive surface so as to avoid slippage between it and the strands. Thus, by connecting a counter 40 to the shaft, the number of revolutions of the shaft and, therefore, the length of the yarn wound onto the beam, can be accurately determined. In this way, the length of yarn on the respective sections wound onto the beam can be A further feature of the present invention is the provision of relatively thin detachable collars which are adapted to be positioned between sections upon the roll, and which function to support the adjacent end portions of the sections as the yarn is wound onto the beam. The outermost ends are adapted to be supported by flanges 41 which areheld in place by set screws 48. Preferably, each collar embodies a thimble 45 which rotated by an electric motor [8 through a belt connection IS. The bobbins are shown as hav-'.

ing their respective axes disposed in a vertical plane but such showing is only diagrammatic, it being understood that the bobbins may be mounted, if desired, with their axes in a horizontal plane, whereby the threads can be withdrawn from the bobbin in a movement generally axially of the bobbin.

The gathering device forming the subject matter of the present invention includes a ve tically extending apertured bar through which the strands pass, and a horizontally disposed apertured bar 2| through which the strands also pass in their travel from the bobbins to the beam. The device also includes a roll 22 around which the strands pass in their travel from the bar 2| to the beam. as is shown particularly in Fig. 2. The

bars 20 and 2| and the roll 22 are supported upon purpose of the carriage is to permit the strands to be wound onto the beam in one section, and then shifted as a unit to permit the winding of the threads, either in the same or in reverse pattern, on another section of the beam.

The vertically disposed bar 20 is shown as being supported at its lower end in a curved guideway 21 on the carriage bed, and as being adapted to be clamped in any desired position by a thumb nut 28 which engages a threaded st d 29 on the bar 20. Thus, the bar 20 may be positioned either close to or remote from the beam, or at an angle to the bar 2| in accordance with the expediency of the particular section that is being wound on the beam.

The horizontal bar 2| is preferably provided adjacent its mid-portion with studs 30 and 3| which extend from the top and bottom edges respectively of the bar, and which are substantially the same in length and in diameter. In use, one stud is adapted to extend into and to be swi elly mounted within a socket 32 in a standard 33 which is rigidly supported upon the bed of the carria e 23, as is shown in Fig. 2. Thus, when the stud 30 for example is disposed within the socket 32, the stud 3| is uppermost and is supported in a .g-

socket 34, which is disposed in the lower end of a strut 35. The upper end of the strut has a socket which receives the upper end of the bar 20 and is provided with a thumb nut 36 for cl mpthe stud to the bar. Each of the bars2|l and thimble has an annular groove 49 therein for receiving a pair of semi-circular sections 50 and 5|.

Each section has a semi-circular notch 52 for receiving the thimble, and each embodies a relatively thin plate so as to occupy as small a space as possible between the sections of yarn wound onto the beam.

I The collar members are adapted to be locked together so as to form a partition between adjacent sections. A preferred form of locking device includes a pin 53 which is carried on one member and is adapted to coact with a latch 54 on the adjacent member. Each latch is pivoted, as at 55, and is shaped at its free end to engage a notch 56 in the coacting member. The pin is slidably mounted within a cylinder 51 and is urged outwardly to a position overhanging the notch by a spring 58. The end 59 of the pin is then adapted to engage the latch so as to clamp the coacting members together. The opposite end of the pin projects through the other end of the cylinder and terminates in a head 60 by means of which the pin can be withdrawn manually to permit unlatching of the collar.

Fig. 10 shows one collar, indicated at 6 I, as being fastened to the beam l5 and another collar, indicated at 62, as being attached to the beam. As soon as the two sections of the collar are brought together around the thimble, the latches are moved inwardly about their respective pivots until the ends thereof enter the coacting notches in the companion section. During such movement, the adjacent pins are withdrawn manually to admit the latch ends into their respective notices, and then the pins are released, at which time they project over the latches, as shown particularly in Fig. 7.

In operation, the strands are led from the respective bobbins and threaded through the apertures in the vertical bar 20, thence through the apertures in the horizontal bar 2|, thence past beneath the roll 22 and onto the beam. In Fig. 2, the sections designated 63 and 64 have been wound with the pattern in the same sequence, that is, the lines 65 and 66 in each section designate strands of yarn of a color different from that in the remaining portion of the section. The

section Bl'being wound in Fig. 2, however, is intermediate those designatedv 63, 64 and has the pattern reversed with respect to such sections, as

indicated by the lines 65A and 66A on the intermediate section. To effect such reversal of pattern, the strut 35 isremoved, the bar 2| is lifted out of the soc'ket fl,*turnedin a vertical plane through an angle of 180%,;erepositionedsonsthe standard-33,:andsupportsdhyzrthe replaeedis-trut 135., The mannerof accomplishing suoh'aeversal is illu'stratedzin Big. 3. and thepos'ition ofre iersal tfirmnithat of FigLZisciIIustrated-in FigiI-fi. L'llhus, tithe. pattern of strands .wound'eorito theibeamis :ireversed without necessitating. methreadingor the bar. The winding operation is .then continued until the number of turns recorded on the counter 40 corresponds to the number used-for winding the preceding-section; -at' which timethe winding is terminated, the threads are severed between the roll 22 and the beam, the carriage 23 is shifted to the far end of the frame l1 and the strands are attached to the end section of the beam. Thus, in the illustration of Fig. 2, the intermediate section 51 and the end section 10 will be wound in the same pattern, which is reversed to that of the sections 63 and 64.

At the completion of the winding operation, the beam is removed from the machine and is placed upon the knitting machine where, in conjunction with other beams, the threads are brought out and passed through the needles and the knitting operation is started.

Before the knitting operation is started, I may, if desired, move the collar sections from the beam, except the end flanges 41, at which time the wound sections support each other, due to the relative thinness of the material which formed the collar sections. In practice, such plates are approximately one-eighth of an inch in thickness and are, therefore, sufliciently thin to preclude the possibility of the end turns of yarn becoming tangled or fouled on the beam.

I have found that, in operation, the necessity for interposed sheets of paper has been eliminated, and that, because of such elimination, sections can be wound tighter. As a final result, the beams may be wound to contain substantially twice as much yarn as heretofore. In this way, each knitting machine may be operated for substantially twice the length of time for any given threading of the machine. This is an important factor in the economy of operation, because of the time required to thread the needles and to set the beams upon the machine.

I claim:

1. A method of warping a beam for use on a knitting machine comprising, holding strands in spaced relationship in a vertical plane as they are withdrawn from individual bobbins, leading the strands through a guide member disposed in a horizontal plane, passing the strands around an abrasive roll and then onto a warp beam, winding the beam to a predetermined depth, severing the strands between the abrasive roll and beam, moving the vertical and horizontal guides as a unit axially of the beam to a new section on the beam, turning the horizontal guide through 1801. in a vertical plane, so as to reverse the position of the strands on the new section of the beam with respect to that previously wound, and then repeating the winding operation on the new section.

2. A method of warping a beam for use on a knitting machine comprising, passing strands through a vertically disposed guidebar in spaced relation from individual bobbins, then passing strands through a horizontally disposed guidebar, supporting the two guidebars for movement with respect to each other and as a unit axially with respect to the beam, thence passing the strands onto the beam, rotating the beam until ill) 6 istrands of -.a predetermined length :are wound thereongsevering the s'trands, =moving theiguideb'ars :as'a unitgtoa new seotiorr:of?the beam while the-strands are -threadeditherethrough adjusting the guidebars with respect toireachiother and the beam and repeating f: the :winding :operation "thexnew section. 1

33 A method of warping a beamiforfiuse onea knitting-machine:comprisingptalcing-strandsifrom individual bobbins, passing the: strands through apertures in -a' vertically disposed guide member, then passing the strands through apertures in a horizontally disposed guide member, supporting athe.guideunembers.formovementasra:unit axially of the beam, winding one sectioniof' thezbeamiato a predetermined depth, severing the strands at the completion of the winding operation without removing any of them from the apertures in the guide members, moving the guide members as a unit together with the strands axially of the beam to a new section, reversing the position of the strands on the new section with respect to that previously wound by inverting the horizontal guide member without removing the strands therefrom, and then repeating the winding action on a new section of the beam.

4. An apparatus for warping a beam comprising a frame having a beam journalled thereon, means for rotating the beam, a carriage mounted on the frame for movement axially of the beam, a vertically disposed guidebar on the carriage and a horizontally disposed guidebar mounted on the carriage, said carriage having means for adjusting the guidebars with respect to each other and the beam each of said guidebars having apertures therein adapted to receive strands of yarn, and the carriage also having a guide roll around which the strands are adapted to pass in their path of travel from the guidebars onto the beam.

5. An apparatus for warping a beam for use on a knitting machine, comprising a frame adapted to support a beam, meansfor rotating the beam, a member slidably mounted on the frame in a direction axially of the beam, said member having a vertically disposed guidebar and a horizontally disposed guidebar adiustably carried thereby, each of said bars having apertures therein adapted to receive strands that are to be wound onto the beam, means for supporting the horizontally disposed guidebar in either upright or inverted position without requiring the strands to be removed from the apertures therein, whereby one section of the beam may be wound with the strands in one position and another section may be wound with the strands in reverse position.

6. An apparatus for warping a beam for use on a knitting machine comprising, a frame, a warp beam journalled thereon, means for rotating the beam, a carriage mounted on the standard, and each of the guidebars having apertures therein for receiving strands.

'7. A device for .warping a beam for use on a knitting machine comprising, a frame, a warp beam journalled thereon, means for rotating the beam, means for guiding strands of yarn in a Mum vertical plane, other means for guiding such strands in a horizontal plane, an abrasive roller interposed between the last-named means and the beam around which the strands are adapted to be passed, and means for supporting the horizontally disposed guide member either in an upright or inverted position, whereby the position of the strands wound onto the beam may be reversed without removing the thread from the guiding members.

. TOBIAS ROVAS.

REFERENCES CITED 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Berckmans Sept. 23,1884 Bartolet Apr. 10, 1900 Schmidt Sept. 16, 1924 Baker Aug. 11, 1931 Puig July 26, 1932 Mossberg Jan. 23, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Dec. 12,- 1911 

